At the 2019 South Australian Boys Junior Amateur Championship in Adelaide this week, Christie took out 13th place against a strong field of the best junior amateurs from around the country.
That event was won by Carter Mealing of Joondalup, Western Australia, who was 11 shots clear of Christie’s own score of 223 over three rounds.
Yesterday and today Christie will be competing in the South Australian Junior Masters — a four-round event over two days where the 50 best young golfers from Australia compete.
Then it is onto final preparations for the biggest test of his young career — the Australian Masters.
Christie said he felt good about his preparations, despite not having reached inside the top 10 for a while.
‘‘Being in South Australia now, they are coming thick and fast really — I finished the junior amateur championships (Tuesday) and tied for 13th,’’ he said.
‘‘There I played a lot better than I have recently, and that was an Australian major event. I feel a lot more confident about my game, and if I play well I can definitely go close to winning (the junior masters).
‘‘(Today) is the final day and then it’s onto the Aussie Amateur. That’ll be two rounds, against the best amateurs from around Australia, as well as the best from the US, Korea, New Zealand; everywhere basically.’’
Notable past players and winners of the Australian Master of the Amateurs include Australia’s own Jason Day (2006), American Rickie Fowler (2009), Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (2010) and American Russell Henley (2010).
‘‘It’s the biggest tournament in Australia really,’’ Christie said.
‘‘Until I travel overseas for tournaments it’ll be the biggest one I ever play in.
‘‘If I get in some good form then Golf Australia may be able to send me overseas for a tournament, but I imagine that wouldn’t be for some time.’’
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